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Saturday, June 18, 2011

Walking Mango Tree

Here is another wonder of nature. Mango tree can be propagated by seeds and techniques like grafting and budding. Here is a tree, which does grafting by itself without any support, so that it preserves itself. The genetic nature of this tree, thus remains intact even after more than 1000 years.

This tree is in Sanjan Bander village of south Gujarat. The farmland in which this mango tree exists is owned by Mr.Altaf, presently and was purchased by his grandfather Mr.Vali Ahmed acchu 100 years ago. The Mango tree ( MangifereaThe mango tree (Mangifera Indica), which finds mention in the list of 50 heritage trees of Gujarat, has several unique features not seen elsewhere.Its branches grow parallel to the ground from the main stem. Roots develop from a part of the branch that touches the ground, which develops in the form of a stem and the original stem dries off, he points out.The branch keeps on growing parallel to the ground from the new stem and new roots appear in the same pattern.

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The mangoes from the tree are comparatively smaller in size and turn flaming red when ripe. The tree has been a subject of many studies and all efforts to graft it artificially failed. The forest department, last year took efforts to graft it taking 500 samples. None proved to be successful

However this natural grafting continue to occurs.This type of production of "Offshoots" or "suckers" is common in some water plants ( Eichornia for example) and few other smaller plants. But a mango tree growing in such a manner is pretty unusual.

The tree has moved quite a distance from its original place and now it tries to get rooted in the land owned by another small farmer. The small farmer who just own half an acre of land in which he grows paddy does not want is land occupied by this mango tree, since it is the only source of income for him. He now is indulging in the act of cutting the branch from approaching his land.

The farmers right is to be protected. At the same time this rare tree must also be preserved. The government must treat this issue with importance and make sure that the tree survives.